A Christian man has been sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan, according to his lawyer, following an incident last year that prompted a Muslim mob to torch hundreds of homes. Naeem Shakir said his client, Sawan Masih, was convicted during a hearing held in jail for fear of violent protests. Masih, a cleaner, was accused of insulting the Prophet Mohammed during a conversation with a Muslim friend in the eastern city of Lahore. Within hours, about 3,000 protesters had set light to Christian homes and churches in an area known as Joseph Colony. His supporters have always claimed the incident was fabricated as part of a plot to seize land. "They hatched a conspiracy to push out the residents of the colony," said Masih in a statement after the sentence was passed. "They contrived a case and got it filed by a person who was close to me. I am innocent."
Comments
Post a Comment